Elinsys, Melora and Bea’ti were standing in Mrek’s office, the body had been removed. Now only the blood circle remains and the rest of the carnage. Leferia was standing in a corner, watching closely what happens now. “So Mrek is dead. Why?” Elinsys asked, glancing at Leferia. “A loose end of some kind? Perhaps he knew too much about the dust.” Bea’ti responded, searching the late doctor’s drawers. “He was assigned to many victims, but so did many others. Why would someone go this far?” Melora asked. “Perhaps we should tell Bea’ti the truth, you dancing around the truth is going to slow you down. As long as she is here, you have to pretend to not know the truth. Instead of hunting down Keresa together you must pretend to not know who did this. Rather annoying don’t you think.” Leferia grinned at Elinsys. “Perhaps one of his patients went mad? From the Dust?” Elinsys was telling a half truth, if Keresa was used as a test subject she would have been Mrek’s patient, and she didn’t seem stable even before the whole Wasted Hope incident. Bea’ti’s eyes lightened up. “Perhaps it is that crewmate of yours.” Melora turned to face her. “How dare you?” Bea’ti raised her hands. “Now, now sister. We must consider every possibility. She was locked under his care for the longest out of any patients. She had violent moments under his care. Screaming, convulsions and others. Can you truly say she is not a suspect?” Bea’ti continued to search the drawers. “And so we dig our grave even deeper. One two, one two.” Leferia started to hum a tune to herself. “I doubt it, she was under constant watch and she was still in the hospital when Mrek went missing. She has an alibi.” Elinsys answered Bea’ti. How could she make Bea’ti think Keresa did it without telling her? “She is on the suspect list until I say she isn’t. Now, where could someone dump the rest of the body?” “An airlock perhaps? Garbage disposal?” Melora offered. “Perhaps you could go and investigate that?” “Why? I will just send a request for anything I need to the Admiral. She has a duty to help me, unless she has something to do with this.” Bea’ti stopped her rummaging. “And if she is covering it up, who else would be involved. You wouldn’t be, right sister?” “You watch your tongue. We have been assigned to help you.” Melora protested. “I am not some frontier farm girl who doesn’t know a thing about intrigue. I know when someone wants me gone. So why are you trying so hard to get rid of me?” Bea’ti turned to face Melora and Elinsys. “Even deeper we go. Perhaps the truth will set us free?” Leferia asked, now standing next to Bea’ti. “What are you talking about?” Elinsys asked. “Go to the garbage disposal, go and investigate the airlocks? If a single airlock opened, a dozen alarms would go off. Especially if it isn’t on schedule. And garbage disposal looks very carefully at what they throw away. You think this is the first space station murder I was tasked to solve? I have a very successful career and I took a few extra classes. I know how to spot a liar, especially when I was their best friend once.” Bea’ti looked at Melora. “You need to get down from your Turox and stop compromising this investigation just to get back at me and Kar.” Melora responded. “Stop it, this isn’t about Kar. This is about you hiding things from me, not as your sister-in-law, but as an Interior investigator. Which means you are hiding something from the Empress.” Bea’ti responded, Melora’s distraction failed. “Oh this roundabout has been going on for too long. Tell her the truth already? Am I the only one here who actually wants to hunt down Keresa and stop the true enemy!?” Leferia shouted at Elinsys. Elinsys stared at Leferia for a second. Oh how she wanted to shout at her, how dares she makes such presumptions. Of course Elinsys wanted to catch Keresa, but if they tell Bea’ti they might get into more trouble. “Perhaps we should take a break, calm down? Before we do something stupid.” Elinsys kept on looking at Leferia before moving towards the door. “No, you can’t just dodge my questions. We need a list of suspects and doing this is a sure way of being quite high up on it.” Bea’ti made her threat, Melora looked at her as one seeing an old friend fall into the gutter again and again. Elinsys wished to ignore her and Leferia. Before the tension exploded into a proper fist fight, a knock on the door broke it. “Excuse me, is Bea’ti in there?” A voice said from the other side, cheery and high pitched. Bea’ti shot a look at Melora and Elinsys before walking up to the door and opening it. She moved back slightly. “And you are? This is an active investigation, so unless you have anything to help us, please leave.” Elinsys moved to see who was standing at the door. When she finally was able to see the figure her throat started to hurt. In the doorway, enlightened by the light behind her stood nobody but Keresa herself. Her mangled face was only made uglier by seeing her in person. One of her eyes was gone, in its place was a hole. That side of her face had slashes and scars over it, going from her throat to hairline. The other cheek was burned and there was a scar on her lips. “I have something for you, yes. I know who murdered Doctor Mrek.” Melora and Elinsys moved in closer, both on the same wavelength. Ready to grab Keresa if she tried to make a run for it. Elinsys even put her hands next to her sidearm. “Oh? That is great news. Do you have any evidence to prove it?” Bea’ti asked the barely held together woman. “Yes, I brought you a confession.” Keresa said glancing at Elinsys and Melora who only moved in closer. Like wolves to a deer. “A recording? Did you record it in secret?” Bea’ti asked, trying not to look the woman in her missing eye. “I bring you the confession in person. For I did it.” Keresa said, extending her wrists towards Bea’ti, a slight smile on her lips. “Congratulations on your promotion.” *** Keresa was shackled to the interrogation table. Two guards always in the room with her, two more outside the door. The one way mirror didn’t hide her mangled features, but it did allow Melora, Elinsys and Bea’ti to observe her in secret. Despite Keresa always staring at them. Following them with their eyes. “So… we got her?” Melora asked. “No. We need her confession. This includes motive, description of how she did it, where the rest of the body is and other evidence needs to support her claims. I saw people claim to be guilty before, usually paid off by someone. That someone is usually the true suspect.” Bea’ti responded, studying Keresa closely. “Had past experience?” Elinsys asked. “One case, my superior almost fell for it. Now she fills out paperwork. Well, I will go in. Talk to her. You two stay here. You notice anything knock on the glass. Wish me luck ladies, that is if you have any comradery left in your hearts.” Bea’ti walked out of the room, and a few minutes later walked into the interrogation room. “Hello Keresa. How are you?” Bea’ti said with a smile. “Terrible, my face hurts. Here for the confession?” Keresa responded, rubbing her cheek. “Yes, but first a few questions. Standard procedure, you understand.” Bea’ti sat down opposite Keresa, opening her tablet. “Yes I do.” Keresa stopped rubbing her cheeks and straightened up. “You may proceed Bea’ti.” Bea’ti shot her a glance, but continued on. “She didn’t like that, did she?” Leferia pointed out the obvious as she always did, mostly to annoy Elinsys. “Problems with questioning her authority, perhaps you shouldn’t do that, keep you in her good graces.” Elinsys tried to ignore her. “Agent is fine. Now why did you do it? I don’t see any connection between you two on your or Mrek’s record.” Bea’ti asked. “He did this to me.” Bea’ti raised her finger to her burnt cheek. “He was performing an operation on me, did a bad job. I wanted to make him pay.” She smiled a bit, but then stopped after it caused her visible pain. “What kind of operation?” “Face surgery.” Keresa responded. Bea’ti looked at her for a second, then back at her tablet. “I see… so he ruined your face?” “No, he was supposed to change it. Give me a new identity. For me to become as handsome as a goddess. Then I would be free to live again.” “Again?” Bea’ti asked. “How long has your face been like this?” “The missing eye and scars have been there for years. Ever since I was exiled, well, more chased out of the Shil’vati Empire. I lost my doctor’s license for torture. That is what the record calls it, I call it a study into the Shil’vati race and how to improve it with genetics and mutations.” “That is missing from my file, I had no information at you at all. Do you know anything about that?” Bea’ti asked, moving slightly away from Keresa. “I removed it, hacked into your mainframe and removed the records about me. I did have station access back then. So the station files won’t help you, your ship’s files might have something. Although I somehow suspect I am not that important, but I should be. Oh I should be.” Bea’ti looked past Keresa at the mirror. Her expression one of worry and bewilderment. “So revenge, that was it?” “No. I had to do it to receive my reward. My ascension.” Keresa tried to raise her hands, but the shackles stopped her. “I see, are you religious? Or maybe a part of a cult?” Bea’ti asked. “It is not a cult. It is real, I have seen my god, it comes to me in my mind, it speaks to me through the blue light, it sings with the choir of its followers in its grand halls. Praise be the One Who Lives.” Keresa said, looking up towards the ceiling. Bea’ti was looking concerned, Melora was smiling, she was enjoying someone else having to deal with the insanity. Leferia walked up to Elinsys. “One Who Lives, what a stupid name. His ego has not been lowered even a bit. Hell, it would seem it only grew. Perhaps we could use that against him?” She whispered into Elinsys’ ear and then moved away. Elinsys turned to face her, but then she heard a slam coming from the interrogation room. Keresa slammed her head into the table. “I am sorry! I have been stalling and I was distracted by my own greed. I must confess now. I murdered Mrek for it required it, he was a loose end, a possible weakness. And the weak shall not be angels of it.” The two guards moved in and grabbed Keresa, to stop her from slamming her head or hurting herself again. “I confess oh Agent of the Empire which shall burn. I have murdered Mrek, I have murdered the crew of Wasted Hope. I have murdered others who have helped us bring about its rebirth. I have kidnapped and performed surgery upon many traders, Shil’vati, Nighkru, Rakiri and Helkam. You call it torture I call it a blessing. I have explored the debts of what we can achieve and found it dreadful, I have found a way for us to grown and better ourselves. I have found a way for us to rule the stars lead not by an Empress, but a god, praise its name, for it it the most glorious name that shall ever be and ever has been.” Keresa shouted at the top of her lounge, struggling against the two guards, meanwhile Bea’ti was looking for some kind of gag. “Perhaps we should go and help?” Melora said, looking around the room for a gag or cloth or rags. Elinsys looked at the woman going insane. Keresa reminded her of the Noble Leferia possessed once. They must not allow Keresa to leave the station, not until the parasite is removed or confirmed dead. “Truly marvelous how my brother can turn a mind of science into a zealot. I am jealous of his powers, but then again… mine are pretty wonderful too. Less crowd control focused sadly.” Leferia said to herself, making sure Elinsys could hear her. “What a ruler he would make, a tyrant who would be bellowed by all. Praise be the Eternal Asshole.” Finally Bea’ti and the guards managed to find a piece of cloth and used it as a gag. Keresa bit one of them before they managed to silence her worship. Bea’ti sighed and then left the interrogation room, a minute later entering the room behind the mirror. “So that went, terrible?” “You got a confession, quite a few. From what she told us, she is definitely wanted for some natsy things. That promotion is yours, congratulations.” Melora said. “Why are you being nice?” Bea’ti asked. “We solved the case, wouldn’t you be happy? I am.” Elinsys responded for Melora. “Sure, but all I got is ramblings of a madwoman. So she did it, but I got no real evidence. She gets off on an insanity plea at best.” Bea’ti said. “And she doesn’t seem insane, I mean the ramblings are there, sure, but I ain’t buying it. The One Who Lives? What kind of stupid name is that?” “I couldn’t agree more. I like this woman, Elinsys. We should tell her about the official records.” Leferia suggested, chuckling to herself. “Listen Bea’ti. Why don’t we go back to out ships and look into the records? If she did all she claimed, there has to be a record of her somewhere, especially if she is known to be operating in this area.” Elinsys offered, trying to get Bea’ti to discover the file and have Keresa imprisoned or at least kept under watch. “I suppose that would be for the best, I hope she will calm down and answer the rest of my questions soon. I do need to know where the rest of Mrek’s body is. And who helped her delete her records. This wormhole keeps on getting deeper and deeper. Doesn’t it?” “A bout of insanity usually leads to another, unless helped.” Leferia said. “It does, welcome to Hybras. Stay longer and you will saw something like this each week.” Melora said, smiling. “Yes, this whole station went insane already once, why not again?” Elinsys added. Bea’ti looked at the both, then sighed. “Best I leave soon then, before I get infected with it too.” “Bea’ti listen, do you know where Kar is? I haven’t seen him in a while, I am worried.” Melora asked, smiling at her sister-in-law. “So that is why you are nice, you want me to tell you where Kar is. Don’t worry he is safe and sound.” Bea’ti crossed her hands. “He wanted to think about what to do, I told him to use the quarters on the Interior ship.” “So he is there? Now?” Melora asked. “Yes he is. He will see you when he is ready.” Bea’ti responded. “No he isn’t!” Keresa shouted, somehow removing her gag. The two guards jumped on her and tried to gag her again. Bea’ti pressed the button so she could be heard in the interrogation room. “What did you say?” The guards looked at the mirror and thenat each other. They brought Keresa closer to the mirror. Then they ungaged her. Keresa smiled. “We have Kar.” She said, almost singing the words. “Let me tell you, he was so distracted, thinking about his dear Melly, walking the Promenade. Help, help. I shouted And he came to help. Then we made him go to sleep and now he is gone.” “What did that bitch say about my husband?” Melora asked, shouting at the top of her lungs. Keresa could hear her without the speakers even. “What do you mean Kar is gone you insane maniac?” Bea’ti asked, shouting just a bit less loud than Melora. “He isn’t on the station anymore, well, he is on a station. Just not this one. Tell me, Bea’ti and Melora. Do you think his fur will fall off if we throw him into our vats? Or will it grow?” Keresa produced the laughter of a maniac, her mangled face smiling despite the pain she was feeling from it. “You don’t have long, you don’t even know where the station is! Can you find out or is Kar a monster soon to be?” Melora stormed out of the room, Elinsys rushing after her as fast as possible. Melora pushed the interrogation door so hard it almost slammed back into Elinsys when she entered a second later. The two guards who were holding Keresa backed away and let her fall to the floor. Melora approached her and grabbed her by the neck. “Where is Kar!” Melora shouted, seeming like a feral animal. “You are losing yourself Commodore, you do know that? Paranoia, anger, you even shouted at Kar. You are worse off than me.” Keresa smiled, but that smile was removed when Melora punched her. “Ahg! You bitch. You almost knocked my tooth out. Where are my rights-” A kick silenced Keresa again, Melora’s boot sent her to the floor. “Melora stop!” Elinsys shouted at her superior. “You need to calm down.” “She took Kar! What use is being calm now?” Melora responded shouting. The two guards moved further back. “We need to know where she took him, if you rip out her tongue what use is she to us?” Elinsys tried to make Keresa seem useful. Melora looked at Keresa and kicked her in the gut. “Fuck. Fine. By the Goddess you better get her to tell us.” Melora walks out of the room. The two guards looked at Elinsys, she gestured with her head for them to leave. They exited without a word. “Ah, my saviour. Here to bargain for Kar? If so… I am ready to talk.” Keresa said. “Where is he and why did you kidnap him?” Elinsys asked. “You know why, we want what is ours. What you have stolen from us, you helped the thief and now you carry it. We want it. It for Kar, it is that simple. My only offer, no negotiation.” Keresa said spitting out blood.